Cooling system



May a, 1924. 1,493,242

G. CAPRONI COOLING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 1, 1920 Inventor:

by Y K W, M 8Gw aw Attys.

Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES GIANNI CAPRONI, OF MILAN, ITALY.

COOLING SYSTEM.

Application filed October 1, 1920. Serial No. 414,019.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GIANNI CArRoNI, a subjectof the King of Italy, residing at Milan, Italy, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Cooling Systems, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention is a novel cooling system or method and apparatus forlowering the temperature of the atmosphere, for example, inliving rooms,railway cars, or the like. The general object of the present inventionis to afford a cooling system and apparatus which will be simple andinexpensive of construction as compared with heretofore known aircoolingsystems, and easy and convenient of operation and control. A furtherobject is to afford for these purposes an apparatus of small size andreadily portable in nature, so that it can be shifted from room to roomas desired. Further objects and advantages of the present 1nvention willbe elucidated in the hereinaiter following description of one form orembodiment thereof or will be apparent to those conversant with thesubject.

To the attainment of the objects and advantages above referred to, thepresent 1nvention consists in the novel cooling system or method andapparatus herein illustrated and described, and the novel features. ofcombination, arrangement and structure therein contained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation, partly insection, of a cooling apparatus embodying the principles of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central section of the air escape device at thefront of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on the plane 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a front view of the parts shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The illustrated structure and details may be specifically described asfollows. The portable apparatus is shown as having a suitable fiange orbase 10 adapted to rest upon the floor. This base is formed at thebottom of a casing or vessel 11 within which the cooling of the air isperformed, or the exchange of heat between the air and the coolingwater. The top of the cooling vessel 11 is closed by'flanged cover 12.Above the cover are shown extending upwardly a pair of oppositestandards 13, which, by means of bearings or trunnions 14, give sup portto a motor casing 15 and the parts carried thereby. The apparatus ispreferably electrically driven, wherefore the casing 15 will contain anelectric motor, the details of which form no part of the invention butwill be understood. At the rear side of the casing 15 is the maincasting or support 16 of the air compressor, the cylinder 17 of which ismounted directly above 16. The above mentioned parts and their containedor attached parts substantially constitute the entire apparatus of thisinvention, which isthus seen to be self-contained and-portable.

Ordinary cold water from a hydrant or other source is the illustratedmeans of extracting and conveying away the heat of the air undertreatment. In the case of railway cars, the heated'water might be cooledby any well known exterior radiator or cooler, and recirculated. Forconvenience, however, I have shown merely a water supply 20 in thenature of a cold water pipe or hydrant. If necessary a motor driven pump21 can be connected so as to give greater circulating force tothe water.A connecting pipe 22 extends to the inlet 23 at the upper side of thecooling vessel 11. The pipe 23 does not lead directly into the body ofwater in the vessel but connects with a downwardly extending centraltube 24 so that the incoming water is directed and spread at the bottomof the vessel. The vessel is shown as having a non-conducting lining 25which tends to prevent the interior operations being affected byexterior temperatures.

The cool water at the bottom of the vessel rises gradually and passesout at the top through an exit pipe 26 from which leads a connection ortube 27. Instead of wasting the heat contained in the outgoing water,the same may be conducted to a tank 28 and thence tapped by a hydrant29. In this way the apparatus hereof is utilized not only for coolingthe atmosphere but for furnishing warm or hot water for hydrantpurposes.

The driving motor shaft 33 has at its rearward end a crank 34 whichconnects by a pitman 35 with the reciprocating piston 36 within thecompressor cylinder 17 The complete details of an air compressor neednot be here shown, as this subject is well understood to those skilledin the art of air compression. The clearance space should be minimizedand efficient valves employed so as to insure the maximum delivery ofcompressed air at each stroke.

For example, a valve 37 may be provided in the head of the piston 36,and a second valve 38 may be provided in the hollow extension 39 of thecompressor cylinder. In this way each rotation of the motor delivers airunder considerable ressure into the connecting pipe 40 which leads fromthe valve 38.

As is well understood, this compression of the atmospheric air effects aconcentration of heat and thereby an extensive elevation of temperature.y now extractin heat through cooling water so as to bring the compressedair to normal temperatures, we are enabled to effect the desired heatremoval and subsequently, upon the release and expansion of the air, theresultant drop in temperature will bring about the desired coolingeffect in the surrounding atmosphere.

The compressed air pipe 40 leads to the inlet connection 41 by which theair passes into the cooling vessel 11. Within the cooling vessel the airpasses through air coils 42. These, for example, may be copper tubes soarranged that-the traveling hot air progressively descends through thedepth of the cooling vessel while its contact with the coil tubes,themselves contacting the cooling water at the outside, causes aprogressive exchange of heat, the heat passing to the water, and the aireventually coming out of the coils by the pipe 43 at substantiallynormal temperatures. The pipe 43 is shown as passing up through thedescending water conduit 24 and passing throu h a special packedconnection at the top t ereof. The air pipe is continued at 44 above thecooling vessel and conducted to the escape valve about to be described.

The escape valve 45 may be of various forms but is preferably one whichgives intermittent discharges of air of predetermined quantity, thisbeing more regular and durable and less noisy than a needle valve. Themotor casing 15 is formed with a fixed axial sleeve 46. Inside of thisrotates an internal sleeve 47 formed or secured on the motor shaft 33.The internal sleeve is formed with an interior chamber 48, this chamberreceiving compressed air at each operation and subsequently releasingit, thus constituting an operative escape device. The air connection 44conducts the air to a port 49 in the exterior sleeve 46. A port 50 isformed in the interior sleeve 47 and peri0di cally comes opposite theport 49 so as to admit compressed air to the chamber. As the port 50comes around to the opposite messes or upper side, it comes to the ortor groove 51 formed in the sleeve 46 an leading forwardl into theatmosphere. 'The forward end 0 sleeve 46 is shown as rovided with aflared exit or flange, and t e escaping air passes from this directlyinto the atmosphere of the room. Each delivered and expanded portion ofair thus brings down to that extent the temperature of the surroundingatmosphere.

After the apparatus has been well started it will be seen that a uniformquantity of air'will be discharged into the room at each shaft rotation.The air pump or compressor being positive is substantially constant inaction, and the interior air pressure will therefore quickly adjustitself so that the rpuantity of air received and delivered tirough theescape chamber 48 at each operation will balance or equal the amount ofair forced into the system at each stroke. Obviously, if the chamber 48be enlarged it will receive a greater quantity of compressed air, withthe result that the internal air pressure will automatically decrease sothat the total quantity of air discharged at each operation will berestored to the original uniform amount. Utilizing this principle, Iafford a means of controlling the pressure of the internal air and, bycontrolling its pressure, regulating its temperature and therebyregulating the cooling effect.

A regulator 55 is shown in the form of a cylindrical plug which extendspartly within the chamber 48. This is provided with a screw-threadedportion 56 engaging within the fixed sleeve 46. The forward end of theregulator is squared at 57 to permit turning by a wrench. Assume now theregulator to be adjusted to reduce the chamber 48. The chamber will thenbe able to receive and deliver less air on each rotation. The resultwill be that air will accumulate in the interior, thus giving anincrease of pressure and a corresponding internal temperature. Thecooling water flowing through the vessel 11 will therefore be able tomore effectively extract heat from the air under treatment. When theincrease of pressure arrives at the point where the reduced chamber 48can receive and deliver the normal quantity ,of air, uniformity willagain be restored. The described regulation gives a greater coolingeffect. The greater interior pressure calls upon the motor for greaterservice, and with the higher internal temperature a greater quantity ofthe cooling water can be utilized.

When a water pump is used, as diagrammatically shown at 21 in Fig. 1, itwill preferably be driven by the same motor as the compressor and escapedevice, and for this purpose will be mounted on the casing 15 or 16.

The fulcra 14 permit the casing 15 to be swun so that the air outflowmay be directed horizontally, upwardly, or downwardly at will.

It will thus be seen that I have described an air cooling apparatus, anda system or method carried out therein, accomplishing the purposes andembodying the principles of the present invention. Since various mattersof method, combination, design and detail may be modified withoutdeparting from the underlying principles, it is not intended to limitthe invention to such matters except so far as is specified in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable air-cooling apparatus for apartments and the likecomprising a frame sup orting a cooling vessel, a compressor an adaptedfreely to discharge successive portions of air without relieving the airpressure in said vessel, said motor connected to actuate the compressorand the escape dea vice, said compressor connected to deliver a motor,with an air escape device,

to the cooling vessel, and a gaseous air connection from said vessel tothe escape device; together with a hollow base containing the coolingvessel, an upstanding extension of said base, and means pivoting thecombined motor,'compressor and escape device to said extension.

.2. A apartments and the like oomprismg a frame supporting a coolingvessel, a compressor and a motor, with an airescape device adaptedfreely to discharge successive portions of air without relieving the airpressure in said vessel, said motor connected to actuate the compressorand. the escape device, said compressor connected to deliver to thecooling vessel, and a aseousair. connection from said vessel to t eescape device; the escape device being swivelled so as to direct itsintermittent pufi's of cold air in varying directions.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature hereto.

GIA'NNI CAPRONI.

portable air-cooling ap aratus for

